Iran's Supreme Leader Calls The Saudi Leaders 'Idiots'

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized the $110 billion weapons deal announced last week between the US and Saudi Arabia, describing how the Saudi leaders were "idiots" and "milk cows for the Americans."He was cited by the Fars news agency as calling the Saudi royal family "an inept and worthless bunch" that trades their wealth with "pagans and enemies."The supreme leader also criticized the kingdom's leaders for siding with the US but ignoring the fate of people in Bahrain and Yemen, in reference to the Bahrain government's ongoing repression of political opponents and the civil war in Yemen, where Riyadh and Tehran are on opposing sides.Saudi kingdom will 'collapse'Ali Khamenei, who is Iran's head of state and chief of the armed forces, warned that the policies of Saudi's rulers would ultimately lead to their "certain downfall."Last week, US President Donald Trump signed a multi-billion weapons deal with Saudi Arabia during his visit to the kingdom, amid harsh criticism from Tehran that his trip was a "show."Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also called the US leader "intellectually unstable."Tehran under pressureRouhani's criticism followed Trump's call for Middle Eastern states to further isolate Iranover its nuclear program, and accusations that Tehran is supporting terrorism to undermine the region's security.Iran hit back, saying Saudi Arabia, its arch-foe, is the real source of funding for Islamist militants.Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia further soured in 2016 after demonstrators in Tehran stormed the Saudi embassy and set part of the structure on fire.That demonstration had been triggered by the execution of a Shiite cleric by the Sunni Saudis.Last year, Khamenei criticized Saudi Arabia for its exclusion of Iranians for the Haj pilgrimage following the 2015 crush and stampede that killed 2,411 worshippers.Courtesy:DW